Brazilian women protest ’culture of rape’

SAO PAULO – Thousands of Brazilian women protestedon Wednesday against a "culture of rape" they blamed for the shocking case of a16-year-old girl allegedly sexually assaulted by more than 30 men.

Protesters flooded central streets in cities including Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, carrying signs with slogans such as "We are all bleeding" and "Not thevictim’s fault."

The largest rally was in Sao Paulo, where more than 5,000 women marched.

Brazilians have been outraged by the gang rape case, which came to light inan online video that showed the bloodied girl naked and seemingly unconsciouson a bed, as a man boasts that she has been "impregnated" by more than 30 men.

Three suspects have been arrested – the last one on Wednesday. Police arehunting three others.

The video was made on May 21 in a Rio de Janeiro favela, one of the poorand often lawless neighborhoods that dot Brazil’s largest cities.

The nationwide protests came a day after the Senate passed a billincreasing the penalties for gang rape and criminalizing rape recordings.

But many Brazilian women see little hope in politics.

One slogan at Wednesday’s protests was "Fight without fear" – a play onthe name of acting president Michel Temer, whose surname means "fear" inPortuguese.

Temer has come under fire for appointing an all-male cabinet aftersidelining suspended president Dilma Rousseff, Brazil’s first woman president.

The acting president ditched Rousseff – his former running mate – as herfoes in Congress moved to impeach her for allegedly fudging the government’sbooks. He will serve in her place until a final ruling in her impeachment case.

Temer’s secretary for women’s policy, Fatima Pelaes, is an EvangelicalChristian who said in 2010 she opposed abortion even in cases of rape.

She said in a statement Wednesday that she would nevertheless keep herpersonal views out of debate on the issue.

Heavily Catholic Brazil allows abortion only in cases of rape, brain damageor danger to the mother’s life. — AFP